A glorious afternoon of High Fashion, High Tea

On a chilly spring Saturday, 12 noon is officially time to start drinking. A glamorous event calls for equally glamorous aperitifs including champagne and designer cocktails – Tom Ford, Cavalli and Dior – accompanied with French pastries, oysters and scones with tea. Contributing to Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, High Fashion, High Tea was put on by Fashionishing, and incorporated all the things we love best: socialising, music, cocktails, canapés and Spring/Summer 09/10 must-haves.      

In its second year, High Fashion High Tea was incredibly successful. The first show sold out in just three days, pushing Fashionishing to put on a second show – and tickets didn’t last long.

The relaxing afternoon was held in one of Melbourne’s flashiest venues, Silk Road. From the moment you step in you are captivated by dazzling chandeliers and smooth music. Downstairs, friends giggle over a glass of champagne while holding their $400 gift bags in their other hand.  

Two university friends, Marta Zyznowska and Rose Watts, were amongst the well-dressed crowd. As ‘born and bred’ Melburnians, they enjoy the events that Melbourne Spring Fashion Week has on offer and love “checking out what’s new and what’s fresh.” Although they appreciate some of the current trends, they don’t follow them to death. Watts likes to make items individual by adding her own spin to it. “Once every one starts wearing them [trends] they become too trendy, and it looks like you are wearing it not for what it is, but more because it’s what you ‘should’ be wearing,” she said. Her advice is to incorporate fashion with what you’re comfortable with.

The parade included some of Australia’s leading designers: Gwendolynne Burkin, Joolz, Cyan Reign, Antonia Paris, Subfusco, Hussy, St. Augustine Academy, Nicola Finetti, and Im.

Although bright usually sets the scene for spring, the leggy models were dressed in a lot of neutrals and black. Layering and grunge was also popular, with Cyan Reign dominating that style, using multi-layers of ruffled fabrics wrapped around sexy corsets and skin-tight leather pants.

Subfusco’s “post-apocalyptic” collection introduced a funky new concept for guys: The ‘shoes’ feature layers of fabric wrapped around the feet and ankles. The boys behind me chuckled and said, “I wouldn’t wear those out on a rainy day.”      

And there was a bit of love in the air. Melbourne based designer, Gwendolynne Burkin, will forever remain in the hearts of hopeless romantics in the audience. And in mine. The luxurious bridal collection featured flowing ivory gowns with hand embellishments and vintage inspired lace. Some of the silky pieces were decorated with Swarovski crystals and fresh water pearls. The low backs and slim silhouettes were feminine and soft – perfect for a beach or garden wedding.   

 

Fashion Gal

xx

Gorgeous Silk Road

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For a glamorous night out, try Silk Road http://www.silkroadoncollins.com/

 Fashionishing http://www.fashionising.com/

MSFW Designer Series Show 2

The first week of spring in Melbourne is always memorable. As the rain stops and the sun is no longer shy, Melbourne comes alive to showcase some of Australia’s leading designers. Spring Fashion Week showers us with loads of glamorous events, fashion parades, workshops and after parties at the most happening venues. But the must-see events of Spring Fashion Week are the designer series.

 There are four shows to choose from, plus the fourth year collections from RMIT students. The second show promised to be one of the best, and Town Hall was jam-packed with more than 2,000 eager fashion admirers last night. Showcasing a variety of grunge, romance and adventurous prints, the line up were some of Australia’s best: Dhini, LIFEwithBIRD, Kirrily Johnston, Nicola Finetti, Gorman, and Ginger and Smart.  

Melbourne-based designer Dihni impressed us with a selection of quirky styles in mustard, blue and black. Her New World Order SS collection showed that the harem pants could be reinvented with a stronger silhouette – making them sexier and more ‘party ready’ – now super skin-tight all the way to the knees. The bold colours were tough yet playful, topped of with cute admiral hats.      

Although the direction for the Spring/ Summer 09/10 was colour, Nicola Finetti attacked us with plenty of little black dresses, proving that black is never last season. Teamed with pastel sky-high shoes, we fell in love all over again. Adding new meaning to the standard mini, the long back in this stunning dress made it modern and glamorous. 

Nicola Finetti. PHOTO: Fashionishing.com

LIFEwithBIRD made us gush over super cute jumpsuits. The floral prints were romantic, and while not overly bright, they were definitely summer ready. Teamed with tanned wedges and a cute beach hat, these are the new must-haves for those long spring lunches.

Ginger and Smart also splashed some colour on the runway with kaleidoscope prints and an effortless chic collection. The flowing dresses were finished with belts for a sexier waist line.

Fashion this spring is so broad! The eye-catching collections will suit many different body shapes and age groups, and with so many prints, fabrics, juicy colours and styles there truly is something for everyone.

What do you think?

Fashion Gal

xx

 

Dhini. PHOTO: Fashionising.com

Dhini. PHOTO: Fashionising.com

Dhini. PHOTO: Fashionising.com

Ginger and Smart. PHOTO: Fashionising.com

Ginger and Smart. PHOTO: Fashionising.com

Ginger and Smart. PHOTO: Fashionising.com

Gorman. PHOTO: Fashionising.com

Gorman. PHOTO: Fashionising.com

Gorman. PHOTO: Fashionising.com

Kirrily Johnston. PHOTO: Fashionising.com

Kirrily Johnston. PHOTO: Fashionising.com

Kirrily Johnston. PHOTO: Fashionising.com

LIFEwithBIRD: Fashionising.com

LIFEwithBIRD. PHOTO: Fashionising.com

LIFEwithBIRD. PHOTO: Fashionising.com

Nicola Finetti. PHOTO: Fashionising.com

Nicola Finetti. PHOTO: Fashionising.com

Nicola Finetti. PHOTO: Fashionising.com

All hail MARC JACOBS, the king of urban grunge.

The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) together with Melbourne Spring Fashion Week have come together to celebrate Marc Jacobs’ 25 years in fashion. He continues to bring grunge to the catwalk – making the ugly trendy, and the trendy ugly.

Presented as part of Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, the six films showcase his career and creations, taking you back stage and into the mind of the visionary designer.

And there’s a bonus. All screenings will be introduced by internationally loved fashion blogger Bryanboy. This gorgeous green ostrich bag for the Marc Jacobs Fall/Winter 08-09 Collection –aka the BB bag – was created in Bryanboy’s honour. Every blogger’s dream!

Byanboy and his own BB bag! Source: ACMI.

Since his debut show for Perry Ellis in 1985, a year after he graduated from Parsons School of Design in New York, Marc Jacobs has been designing clothes that everyone wants to wear. Whether it’s shoes, jackets or a hand bag, they are unpretentious and carry a sexy urban vibe. I learn, after watching Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton, that his inspiration comes from cigarettes, art galleries, a serious case of trial and error and an almost compulsive regime of Omega 3 tablets and protein bars.

Director of the 2007 documentary, Loïc Prigent, calls him “the most influential American fashion designer of his generation.” Constantly surrounded by a fan base which includes A-listers and supermodels such as Winona Ryder, Victoria Beckham, Helena Christensen (to name only a few), we follow Jacobs from New York – where he showcases his new collection – to Tokyo, and finally Paris for the new Louis Vuitton range. As the Creative Director of Louis Vuitton since 1997, Jacobs has the luxury of being able to do what ever he wants. He says he likes the idea of “wearing eight shades of the same colour at once”, only because everyone says you can’t and he is often stuck with the dilemma of: is this item so ugly that it is beautiful, or so ugly that it is, well, just plain ugly.

It is in Paris that we witness the birth of possibly the craziest handbag ever made – a collaboration of earlier Louis Vuitton handbags, all in one. Only 28 examples of these were made, costing a whopping €35,000 (or roughly $60,000) each. Amazing…

The sexy Louis Vuitton Tribute Patchwork Bag.

Bernard Arnault, the CEO and Chairman of Louis Vuitton, absolutely adores Marc Jacobs. And why wouldn’t he? The brand has doubled in size every five years since Jacobs’ arrival, transforming the French luggage maker into the most profitable luxury business. Ever.

Models showcase the new collection. Source: ACMI.

Marc Jacobs. Source: ACMI.

Dakota Fanning for Marc Jacobs.

The little black dress for men. Advertisement.

Fashion Gal. 

xx

 

The six films on show include: Marc Jacobs – Designer Marathon (1984-2008), Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton (2007), Marc Jacobs’ New York (various), Luis Vuitton, Champs-Elysées:The Countdown (2005), The Darjeeling Limited (2007), and Slaves of New York (1989).

For tickets go to: http://www.acmi.net.au/marc_jacobs_on_film.aspx

Check out Bryanboy’s blog: http://www.bryanboy.com/

Fashion Exposed Trade Show

I have three words to describe the Fashion Exposed Trade Show: Heaven on Earth. Endless corridors filled with all the goodies women love best: lingerie, street wear, bridal, accessories, couture, handbags, scarves, purses and wallets, belts… The list goes on.

Fashion Exposed aims to do just as the name suggests – to expose fashion’s newest collections. Held over three days, twice a year, it is the ultimate opportunity for the fashion industry to check out and buy the latest trends. And over 70% of the visitors plan to place an order either at, or after the event. The Fair attracts thousands of local and international visitors and more than 600 exhibitors. There is one catch though – to be allowed entry, you have to be in the fashion industry or the media.

The show also features educational seminars and work shops for those in the retail industry, as well as fashion parades. But I was interested in clothing and accessories. Equipped with my camera, notepad and endless enthusiasm, I explored for hours – eyes popping out of my head – determined to see every corner, touch every piece of fabric and smell every fragrance.

Some things I liked…

Frou Frou Designs.

Necklace by Frou Frou Designs.

Hat by Flying Dog Corporation.

Vintage goodies from Flying Dog Corporation.

Boho Button Scarf from Lettuce Wear.

 

Jellaine Ross of Cherry Blooms jokes that she is a virgin to the Fair. She is the Managing Director and Designer of a fresh new company and this is her first year at Fashion Exposed. Having only launched Cherry Blooms last November, she is already making her mark on the fashion industry. She calls them “recession accessories”. Shoe clips are the coolest new craze, as they allow women to change the look of their shoe by just clipping or unclipping! Her glamorous products offer women of all ages an alternative to spending big on the things we love most – shoes. For $20-$35, a much lower price than your average 13 inch heels, we can make our tired old shoe collection fresh and vibrant, without having to max out those nasty credit cards. 

The idea popped into her head a couple years ago and she quickly started to spend a lot of time with the glue gun. With the help of her mum Catherine, who Jellaine calls her support team and slave, she stopped working fulltime and followed her dream. She now runs a successful e-boutique and loves every minute of it. The online store has lots of accessories including handbags, bling and my favourite: bag organisers. The organisers lets us girls have the usual collection of lip glosses, pens, tampons, hand moisturiser, chewies, pain killers, wallet, keys and actually be able to find them. And we can still look super chic as the organiser goes in any bag you like!        

   

Jellaine (right) and her mum, Catherine.

'Carnivale' - Black feathers and diamond trim.

'Brown Bling' - Faux leather flower with diamond.

'Pink Petals' - Patent petal shoe clip.

Bag Organisers from Cherry Blooms.

Fashion Exposed runs from August 30 – September 1 and is held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. Immerse your self in the beautiful stores; it’s a great way to get excited for Melbourne Spring Fashion Week!

Heaven on Earth. Source: Fashion Exposed.

Hundreds of beautiful stores. Source: Fashion Exposed.

Fashion Gal

xx

 

Want more?

Cherry Blooms online boutique  https://www.cherryblooms.com.au/

Frou Frou Designs http://www.froufroudesigns.com.au/

Lettuce Scarves http://www.lettucewear.com/

Flying Dog Corporation http://www.flyingdogcorp.com/

More info on the Fashion Exposed Trade Show can be found at http://www.fashionexposed.com/

A history-making week at RSFF

When you look at such a gorgeous face, you wonder how it is possible that she fits under the ‘plus-size’ model category.

Elizabeth Green. Source: BGM Models.

Is it just me or does that term carry a negative connotation? Meaning: yes she is a model, but a fat one. She looks radiant, healthy and well, she looks like a super model! It’s the ugly side of the fashion industry: young girls with eating disorders, living on orange-juice-dipped-cotton balls and lettuce to stay a size zero and sometimes fainting before fashion shows from malnutrition.

The death of Brazilian supermodel, Ana Carolina Reston (below), made international headlines three years ago, and initiated an inquiry into the problem of eating disorders in the fashion world.

Source: Fashion Model Directory.

At 172cm tall, she weighed just 40kg and reportedly lived on a diet of apples and tomatoes.

But Sydney’s glitziest fashion event, the Rosemount Fashion Festival, has stepped up. Each year, it showcases the colourful new Spring Summer collections of local and international fashion, and this year, there was one show that stood out from the rest.

In a brave move, City Chic kicked size zero models off the catwalk, and replaced them with curvy girls. Yes, beautiful big breasts and hips on the catwalk. The history-making parade proved that big is beautiful, not only being the first brand to present a voluptuous show at RSFF, but the first in Australia to feature size 14+ models on the catwalk.

Isn’t it about time, considering the average Australian woman is size 14 to 16? The gorgeous line-up of local and international models, including New York based Elizabeth Green (above), rocked the show wearing bold prints, sparkling cocktail dresses and mini skirts.   

City Chic general manager Phil Ryan said: “We try to showcase that size 14-plus girls in Australia can have the latest fashion in the world, to wear anywhere.”

What do you think of the collection?

Want more? Follow these links:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/mar/24/health.fashion

http://www.sydneyeventphotography.com.au/events/rosemount-sydney-fashion-festival-2009/city-chic/

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25958713-662,00.html

Lady Gaga fashion: Trendy or try hard?

I’m glad I’m not Lady Gaga. She must be under constant pressure to keep coming up with the oddest outfits possible. We all know her fashion sense is a little er, quirky. First it was her fear of pants, and the teacup she carried everywhere, then the face paint. But she is definitely not the first to go down that road – Kiss opted for OTT facial make-up and made it their trademark.

The futuristic shoulder pads and leggings, we could somewhat follow. They were everywhere. Stores like Bardot and Supré, among many others, went into overdrive with the wet-look leggings trend that Gaga seemed to have started. For a while there I was worried that normal pants would never be sold again. But those of us who did not perform on stage for a living could tone them down and adjust the look to everyday wear.

And now it seems she has run out of ideas. As if the Kermit coat wasn’t enough, she recently performed on a Japanese TV show wearing an elephant hat made out of her own hair, eek. I wonder, does she actually like wearing these things, or is she just trying to cause a stir?

Lady Gaga's elephant hat

Earlier this year, she appeared on the variety TV show Rove with a crockenbush inspired hair style. The poor thing could hardly move and she had to have her hair re-done before her performance so it didn’t fall off her head.

'Crockenbush' hairstyle. Source: The Daily Mail.

I try to imagine an everyday person walking around Chadstone Shopping Centre with leggings and a coat that looks like it is under attack by cane toads… No, I just cannot see it. What would our reaction be? The first thing that comes to mind would be to help them get those frogs off. Or perhaps we would just stare.

Lady Gaga's Kermit coat

So why, when a celebrity wears the craziest things, are they dubbed a fashion icon, but everyday people have to endure stares and giggles? Are we that desperate for trends that we will wear the most ridiculous things, just because a celeb does? And do fashion magazines alternatively decide what we wear by publishing these looks and calling them ‘trends’?

The Boston Globe recently reported that Lady gaga is going to follow other singer’s footsteps and start her own fashion line. What is she going to sell, reindeer hats? And who is going to buy her clothes?

Would you?

Fashion gal xx

Check out her performance

You can read the whole article on Lady Gaga’s new mission, published in The Boston Globe here:

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/fashion/articles/2009/05/14/serving_notice/

And if you want to see more crazy Lady Gaga fashion, follow this link:

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d44/malfoys_mistress/LadyGaGaPaparazzi52.png

MSFW is coming soon!!

September brings many exciting things to our city. It is not only the start of Spring – which is promissing lots of colour and gorgeous weather -but there’s also lots of events to keep you entertained. There’s the Stencil Festival for emerging graffiti artists, the AFL grand finals for footy fans, and even something for the kids at the Royal Melbourne Show.

But, as all you fashion fanatics may know, the Melbourne Spring Fashion Week is by far the most fabulous of all the fabulous events. And it is very quickly approaching in, oh, 4 weeks! With gorgeous Jessica Hart recently announced as the new ambassador, it is going to be a huge week, jam-packed with clothes, models, designers, glamour, celebrities, parties and champagne!

It is the perfect excuse to grab your girlfriends and and immerse your self in all the excitement the week has to offer. My pick of the week? The High Fashion, High Tea event at one of Melbourne’s sexiest venues, Silk Road.  

For $35, you get a luxurious afternoon of (you guessed it) tea and high fashion.

Some of the designers include:

And many more!

Tickets are going to sell super fast! You can buy them from: http://www.fashionising.com/fashionweek/highfashion.php

I will see you there!

Fashion gal xx

Just a little observation of winter in Melbourne…

There are many reasons why I love Melbourne. There’s a different thing to do each night of the week if we want, or we can chill out at one of the many beautiful parks, there’s the culture and of course all the restaurants and bars that are overpopulated even on the most freezing nights. I can’t say that the four-seasons-in-one-day-weather is one of the things I love, but I must admit that with horrible weather comes non-horrible wear.

 

Yes it’s August. My goodness, already?! But it seems Melbourne has gone from Zimmerman bikinis to oversized coats in what feels like less than 24 hours. The forecast: It is promising to be one of the most stylish years on record. Everywhere I turn, I see designer wear. Our city has become overpopulated by uber-chic dressers and women that look like extras from a SATC episode.

 

The economic crisis will not affect Melbournian’s shopping spirits. With credit cards at a record low, and a bonus $900 for some, why not indulge? Turnover for Australian retail increased by 1.3% in the June quarter!

 

And the one thing us ladies cannot live without this winter: Shoots (shoe-boots). The higher the better. Did someone say ‘broken ankle’? My faves: Rupert Sanderson Oracle leather boots –oh-so sexy but oh-so pricy.

Rupert Sanderson Oracle leather boots

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Giuseppe Zanotti Pearl Croc lace-ups.

Giuseppe Zanotti Croc boots

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What do you think?

 

Ah, the musky smell of leather shoots has taken over every other polluted smell that previously dominated Collins Street.

 

I do love this time of the year. 

 

Fashion gal xx

Hello everybody!!

This is my very first blog ever and I am so excited to be writing about the wonderful world of fashion every week. Keep coming back for the newest trends, events, designer and model profiles, fashion advice and much much more.

Now… to making my blog pretty… I’ll be back soon!

Fashion gal xx